The Warner sun. (Warner, Brown Co., Dakota [S.D.]) 1885-1???, 1887-02-04

| ed from the Chevalier was darkly con.
frmatory of the vision that Thankful
| had seen. One OF the boats had been
found floating in the South PACING
empty and oarless. A ship wrapped
in fire from stem to stern had beer
| sighted afar off in those waters where
| help could not be extended or inquiry
made. ,
They lived on during that year, and
sorrow grew old and was still as dark
as ever. Their neighbours condoled with
| them, end hoped that the time would
come when grief would be Gained, and
that life might yet have some pleasure
| for these afflicted mes. Would that
time ever come to Thankful? Not,
surely, at such a time as this, when
the New Year was again at hand. 1t
could bring no hope or promise to
her; but the time, as long as ~sheshould
1--we, must be in her mind associated
with his last words to her, Expect
me back by the next New Year; | shall
hasten everything for your sake"
1t was a very different New Years
Eve from the last. The harbor was
locked in ice; a snow covered ths
ground; the air was singing with
| rrost. A clear sound of bells from the
| town. as the New Year was gleefully
rung in, came up to them as they sat
by their fire. No speechhad passed be-
tween them for an hour. AS the last
peal OF the bells died away, Mrs. Ben
son said:
at is all hard to bear, Thankful.
We must learn to bear"
The girl started up with clasped
hands, and passionately exclaimed!
But never to see him again-though
l may live for fifty years! cant en-
dure the thought. He came to me
once after death-why not again?"
The door noiselessly Enclosed and
admitted a moving figure. 1t advanc'
ed toward them; they looked at the
face, spell-bound. 1t was pale, wan,
wasted, but it bore the likeness oil
John Sturdy.
No womanly fright, no terror OF the
supernatural possessed Thankful in
that moment. Glad to have seen his
face again in answer to her appeal,
her loving, yearning heart hungered
| for something more than his shadow,
She started toward him-she opened
wide her arms to him.
30, john" she said, "don't do as
you did before! You said you would
come back at this time"
Her loving arms embodied him
Thank God, it was not a shadow-it
was John Sturdy, weak, sick, feeble
but it was he.
They had the happiest kind Of New
Year, after all. When the first greet
ings were over, and Mrs. Benson had
refreshed him with tea and he and
Thankful sat side by side, hand II
hand, inexpressibly glad, for want o
words-then he told the story OF his
adventures and escapes, by sea and
land, out OF all of which he had beer
saved to them. Some day he will tel
it III print. 1t is too long to tell here
When he had finished, Mrs. Benson
asked: where were you a year age
tonight, John? Thankful thought sh'
saw YOU"
He looked inquiringly at his be
throthed. She told him all.
"That was the night" he said
"when the officers and crew OF tn
poor burning Chevalier took to tn
boats in a heavy sea. One boat wa
swamped before my eyes and all in i
were drowned. Ours rolled ant
pitched SO heavily in the choppinI
waves that ! expected we, too, SHOULD
perish. 1t was just there, while | wa
hopelessly directing the men at tn
oars, that a vision came before IN,
eyes OF the harbor hereof the tow
and this cottage. / saw you both
and Thankful held out her arms t,
me. From that instant ] knew W
should be reunited. Yes, | knew il
and | cherished the belief and hugget
it to my heart in all the dangers an
lahors that have beset rae since"